Drivers given 4.24m parking tickets

The number of parking tickets issued to motorists by local councils reached 4.24 million in 2009/10, up from 4.03 million in 2008/09, according to a new report by the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

Appeals to the tribunal rose 15% in 2009/10, but the percentage of motorists successful in their cases dropped to 57% from 62% in 2008/09, the report said.

Although 50 more councils in England and Wales joined the scheme which gives local authorities the power to issue Penalty Charge Notices, fewer tickets were issued by over half of the councils in the scheme in 2009/10.

The rate of appeal per parking ticket was unchanged at 0.3%.

TheTraffic Penalty Tribunal's chief adjudicator, Caroline Sheppard, called on local authorities to ensure fairness and integrity in the use of CCTV enforcement.

Ms Sheppard said a body should be set up to deal with complaints outside the jurisdiction of the tribunal.